Has Selfloss already been released on Steam? Not yet, but a demo was released way back during the Steam Next Fest in June 2021. In the original comments, I'd said it was mesmerising, and stand by that based on the PS5 demo.
This is a game that uses Slavic and Icelandic influences and features a geriatric protagonist on a journey of ’emotional exploration’. With an underlying theme about grief, so far, the game doesn’t evoke feelings of coldness, desolation, or being so unforgiving. Instead, it offers a unique and intriguing storytelling experience that will keep you engaged.
Selfloss may not boast the vibrant colours of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, yet the remote island setting with its saturated palette has a captivating atmosphere and is strangely welcoming. Featuring oversized fish, perilous waters and mysterious miasma, the game’s world is both gripping and inviting.
Selfloss PS5 Demo
Without a word spoken, the assumedly wise man embarks on an adventure that witnesses giant statues, wild and hypnotising waves, peppered with hazardous terrain, and a staff that makes Gandalf’s look like a Twiglet.
The staff in Selfloss is a source of your power – not that you can shout willy-nilly at folk, “You Shall Not Pass!” though it’s a versatile device. Primarily, it will light your way, allowing manual focusing with the right stick to trigger switches, then it’ll remove the miasma from your path and target aggressive types that want to hurt you with more than sticks and stones.
Movement and exploration are natural throughout, and in truth, I could have stayed in the boat for the duration, sailing up and down. It’s such an authentic ‘jump straight in’ feeling. The combat wasn’t as fresh and not something I embraced as much. The old man is sluggish, though; that should be expected. As for the rolling about, that was clunky and unbelievable.
Overall, Selfloss is impressive, and I highly recommend you download it on your PS5 for the enviable price of nothing. It’s a demo, so there’s no reason not to give it a go. Considering I played Goodwin Games’ adventure in 2021, it’s been worth waiting to play this on the PS5 on the big screen. Go now before the whales get you.
